Naturalists Dream

Map of Life

If you have ever gone out on a nature hike, you know how hard it is to lug around books or pamphlets that help to identify the local species. Now, with an iPhone or Android smartphone you can download an app called The Map of Life. It is available in six languages and has information on the world’s biodiversity right in the palm of your hand.

You can learn in an instant the species in your area and create your own list of observations to contribute to scientific research and conservation efforts, thanks to a recording feature that allows you to record directly to the app.

The National Science Foundation and NASA provided the initial support to get this app up and running. Walter Jetz and Robert Guralnick, along with an impressive team of experts, designed this amazing app.